Psych Advent
by Grigiocuore
Summary: Some people know exactly where their compass is leading to. The Psych gang and the rest of the world don't. Seven advent-gifts, seven stories, seven chances to meet before they actually met. Because some friendships just sneak in no matter what, exactly like Christmas. Prequel snapshots, three-days updates.
1. Shawn and Gus - Eighty Bucks

_Here we are, a Christmas fic with nothing to do with Christmas. I prepared a very cool , very Shawn-ish introduction, but then I talked with my wonderful BFF and my Lassie soul (the knight-like, emotional-but-serious one) kicked in. I planned this story after seeing a Community episode with random, blink-of-the-eye meetings between the characters before they actually meet, and then I decided to do a Psych festive version. It was simple: two of our favorite Psychos meeting each other for the briefest moment and before the real story begins. But actually it became a sort of declaration of hope. Everyone has a place made for him, and the roads to get there can be really weird. Or so now I want to hope._

_Well, enough emotional crap. Let's begin._

**Shawn and Gus - Eighty Bucks**

Burton looked down at the Magnum P.I. Box in his hands, trying to suppress tears.

Eighty dollars. He had spent eighty bucks for that thing. He had not only sneaked away with the brand-new business car, skipped work to go to this absurd fair and turned off the cell, he had even spent half of his week meal-budget for that tight pack of Nerdness. Five DVDs remastered, director's comments and special cut scenes. He didn't _even_ like Magnum P.I. It was, it was.

Oh, hell. It was a Gus thing. Most times he restrained him well. He had successfully been Burton for years, but _he_ was still there. He was in the amateur sci-fi movies lined over his drawer, in the Michael Jackson costume accuratamente/guiltily hidden behind the charity fair sacks. Gus like _Gus come right here what's that thing on your head_, like Shawn and Gus.

Burton sighed, brushing Tom Selleck's face. He would not come back. It had been six years, he could be everywhere in the world. He was still Gus, but he would not come back.

_I'm a late Eighties souvenir._

He sighed again, giving a look around. It was too late to bring the thing back, and anyway it was against Nerd Con Rules. There was no point in bringing it with him either. It was not something he would ever need.

He spotted a bench on his left and walked there. He placed the box on the bench, slowly, carefully, the box with five remastered DVDs and director's comment and special cut scenes, and he was done. He turned.

Burton made his way to the parking. Gus followed grudgingly.

Shawn was strolling along the Vintage-Con outskirts, sipping his Early Lunch Smoothie, when he noted something. Or better, his knee connected with the edge of a bench and he cursed and looking down he noted something placed on it. His eyes widened.

-No. _Too cool_.-

He took up the box, Magnum's inane flower shirt glimpsing through the packaging. He let a finger sliding along a side. Tight cellophane, greasy-fried film, authenticity badge pinned on the front. Shawn knew a collector's edition when he saw one.

He grinned. Too cool. Just too cool. It was, like, the next best thing beside Val Kilmer becoming president. He slumped on the bench, scrolling the special contents list. If he just thought about who could it'd gone with. Some chips-munching, acne-filled, forty-something geek trying to put it on eBay to buy Green Lantern dolls, or a Mom looking for a gift for his teen brat, or maybe a limp, skinny collector who never caught the magic of Tom Selleck's mustaches. Ah. Intolerable. Tragical.

Even if, they let it there. It had to have been a cool guy after all. One who _knew_. One who spent a tons of bucks and then gave it to the first guy passing after him. It wouldn't be bad, chatting a bit with that guy.

Shawn held the box with five remastered DVDs and director's comment and special cut scenes. The smoothie was too cold, because his throat suddenly clenched.

-Well, thanks. Man.-


	2. Carlton and Jules - Those Funny Shoes

…_Okay. Well. Second chap and I'm already terribly late. But I have a noble reason for this. The fact is, I love so much our detectives I just have to refine their piece. And there are so many things here for me. And it's such a grand, crazy, lovely relationship. It's the epitome of a True Friendship, in a totally different way than Shawn and Gus. So here we are. Thanks for the support, let me know what you think about it. _

_And if you don't think Teen!Carlton is a sweetie, your heart is made of ice._

**Carlton and Jules - Those Funny Shoes**

They had come to Disneyland for her birthday. The original one, in California, with Mister Disney's statue and all the stuff. Mom had booked a suite in Sleeping Beauty castle and Juliet had gotten the Pink room, of course. It was pretty cool. Papa wasn't there, but he said he would come as soon as he could.

"It's your birthday, princess." he had said. "I won't lose it for all the Lost Temples of Nicaragua. And that's saying a lot, ya know it."

She did knew.

They had arrived the day before, and everything had gone so well. Mom had given each of them five bucks to spend at the Sweeties Shop and the boys had not been the usual big dorks. Ewan had even given her just a pinch, the long one he used with really tough pals. Then today Mom and Aunt Lillian told her to follow with the biggest grins ever and brought her to a glittery shop where people made all types of costumes. They had dressed her with a gown and made her up like a princess. Mom had laughed all the time and hugged her in front of the mirror. It had been super-fun.

Yet she had fled.

Well, it's not like she had _really_ fled. She did went to the Under the Sea's store; she had just not come right back. She would, Juliet didn't want to make Mom worry, of course. But it was nice being a bit on her own. Looking at the other carousels, at people. Just a turn, at best two.

Juliet stumbled over the skirt's hem. It was beautiful, all fluffy and shiny and of the palest, brightest pink ever, but it was horribly itchy. And the shop lady had pulled her hair so hard she felt her face stretching back. It was worth the effort, though. Mom had been so happy. And Dad would be there soon and then she would take off that thing. It was just a bit more. A turn and a turn and one more. She should go back. She didn't.

She looked up and discovered she was at the Spinning Cups. There were not a lot of people; just a bunch of parents buying Mickey Mouse's balloons and some kids riding on the cups. On a blue one a girl her age was shrilling happily, blue eyes bulging at every swirl.

Juliet turned. Near her was a grown up, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. He was wearing a black T-shirt, red shoes and seemed very pissed. His eyes were of the same blue of the girl's.

Juliet licked her lips.

-Hi.-

He gave Juliet a look. -Hi.-

-I'm Juliet. What's your name?-

-Kid, I have no time for chatting with a little girl. I'm busy.-

-Oh. Sorry.-

He humpfed and went back scowling at the spinning cups. Juliet smoothed a wrinkle on her gown. She looked for something to say.

-Your shoes are funny.-

-They're not funny. They're All Stars. They're cool.-

-But they'_re_ funny.-

-They're _not_. They're for guys skateboarding.-

-And you skateboard?-

A pause.

-No.-

He turned again. Silence.

-Yu look a bit sad. Or angry, I can't really tell the difference.-

-I'm fine.-

-You sure, because you don't seem so.-

-Listen, I'm fine. Can't, can't you just leave me _alone_, girl?-

He scowled even more, swaying a bit on his feet. He was tall, but the shirt was too large and the jeans too short on the ankles. He was not nearly as hairy as Dad.

Juliet saw something, and her eyes widened.

-You're not an adult. You're a _kid_.-

He blushed up to ear tips. It didn't help.

-I'm not a kid. I'm in High School.-

-Uh, yes you _are_.-

-No I'm _not_. -

She kept looking at him not looking at her.

-You should watch your tongue, you know? You're not very kind at all.-

-Well, no one is making you stay here, I think. What are you doing alone anyway? You should be with your parents. You're too young to go around like this.-

-I. I.-Juliet thought about a lot of answers, thought about saying she was waiting for Dad or looking for a gift or fleeing from her own birthday. In the end she said the truth. -I wanna buy Indiana Jones's whip.-

- Indiana Jones's _whip_?-

-Yeah.- She looked up to him, slowly. – You, you think it's okay?-

He seemed to think about it for a moment. -Do you know how to use it?-

_-Of course_ I do.-

-Well, so yeah. Seems legit.- He shrugged.

-Really? My bros said it's weird. Mom too.-

-Of course it's okay. If you're good at it, go with it. Why not?-

He shrugged again as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. She giggled.

-What's so funny?-

-You're weird. But in a good way.-

He smiled. He frowned too, but before he smiled.

-Well, you're not bad either.-

After it they fell silent again and just stayed there. The cups were slowing down and the blue-eyed girl was laughing, breathing hard against the Cup's edge. The boy nodded to it. -Do you want to have a run? I can watch over.-

Juliet smiled and shook her head. -No. No, I'm okay, thanks. I think I'll go back now. Bye bye.-

-Oh. Bye, girl.-

She waved, and he half-waved back, bending with a strange kind of bow as Juliet walked back toward the street. She suddenly thought about something important and turned in the crowd.

-Ah, and keep the sunglasses. You look cool.-

She grinned and ran away to her birthday party.


	3. Shawn and Jules - Classic Margarita

_Here we are my friends: third chap on! I think Shules fans would find it a bit rough, but actually it seems fitting: the chap is set after all some years before the series, when Jules was young and angry and Shawn, let's face it, was a perfect jerk. A meeting at a party, among empty bottles and yuvenile squalor, looked like the perfect occasion for some issues-digging. And I just love Badass!Jules. _

_Hope ya like it. Let me know how it's going._

**Shawn and Jules – Classic Margarita**

Juliet hit the bar, swallowing hard.

She was wasted. Badly. The Delta Kappa Beta, _or was the other way around?,_ party was on full swing, Spice Girls music and strobe lights and sweaty heat pumping along her skin. Her necklace was sinking in her neck and the mascara was dripping everywhere. Yeah, she was definitively wasted. She suddenly saw Grandma Johanna scowling over Thanksgiving turkey. Oh stop thinking about the turkey.

-Hey, let me guess. Classical Margarita with good tequila, no green tint and true lime. Less sweet than it seems. Am I right?-

She turned. That was new. _He_ was new. Tall, nice tan, mischievous green eyes under batting eyelashes. His hair smelled of banana shampoo and vodka, but so does everyone's else.

Juliet tilted her head, ignoring his glass. -Mmm, I think I've never seen you in the campus. What're you studying?-

-Uh, basically I study life. I'm the Chief Assistant of Old Joe's hot dog cart.-

-Charming.-

-Not nearly as you, Miss.-

Ah, so he did know the dance. Well, she did too.

-And you, girl? What do ya do? Literature? Design?-

Her smile chilled. -Criminology. I'll try to join Miami Police.-

-Oh, a cop. Crap. Hot. Kinda edible, but hot.-

-Oedipal.-

-'Heard both wayz.-

Juliet sighed. Sure, the guy was strange as Hell. When he poured her another glass however she didn't refuse.

-So, for your Da or despite him?-

-Whst?-

He gestured to some point over them. -Being a cop. In my experience it's always for him or despite him. So?-

-I do it for the usual stuff, I suppose. To protect people. For love. Loyalty.-

-Oh, crap. A probe cop. Not so hot.-

-We can't keep drinkin' and flirtin' to no end.-

-Well, that's debatable.- He gave a shrug. -I'm _so_ not ready for maturity.-

-Mh, I gotcha._ No emotion, I'm too cool_, that jazz. You're that kind of guy.-

He gave a very untrue laugh.

-Mh, I'm not a lot in those things. Drinkin' and flirtin' seems fine. Forever fine.-

-What do you mean?-

-Ah, c'mon girl. Y' know how it goes. Drooling after people makes you ugly and surly, and we're too dashing to get ugly. We do not need it. We're too dashing and too smart to get stuck with all that crap.-

He smiled again. He sounded so convincing and so convinced. Juliet put down her glass and walked away.

He stumbled upward.

-Ehy, ehy girl. Where' y' goin'? What's the matter?-

-Good night, hot dog boy. I wish you to find someday someone so incredible and difficult and crazy to make you believe in all that crap.-

She smiled.

-And now, if you excuse me, I'm going to throw up in the ficus pot.-

_P.S.: Juliet's last sentence was ambiguous by choice. A crazy, incredible person can be both her and Lassie, can't it?_


End file.
